The past and present are set to collide when camp opens in September, and the blue line shapes up to be an intriguing group. The addition of Brian Campbell creates a welcomed numbers game in which a very good player likely will not be making the three starting pairings. However, coach Kevin Dineen may have the luxury that Pete DeBoer never had: a rotating seventh man to keep players fresh and healthy.

Keaton Ellerby and newly signed Erik Gudbranson will likely fight for the sixth spot, as Campbell, Jovanovski, Kulikov, Garrison, and Weaver are the current top 5 defensemen. It could be argued that the undersized Weaver could be in trouble to keep his starting job as well, but his chemistry with Garrison last year bodes well for his chances. No pairing was more consistent and efficient for the Panthers last year.

Tallon said the best 23 will be on the team for every game, which is another luxury Pete DeBoer rarely had. By the time Tallon worked his magic in dumping salaries and acquiring picks, the Panthers looked like an AHL team coming down the stretch last year.

With that said, two forwards and one defenseman should be healthy scratches every night. Slumps and injuries should keep everyone on the roster focused and motivated, as those that are scratches might be asked to fill a major role on a moment's notice. Newfound depth is a wonderful thing.

At rookie camp, Gudbranson was simply a beast. He clearly had the best combination of size, strength, and speed of everyone there. It was no surprise Gudbranson was signed immediately after camp concluded. Tallon and other Panther brass had seen all they needed to see.

Gudbranson will be on this team. There is nowhere else for him to go (the same with Quinton Howden, by the way). But who he is paired with will be the most interesting question. For now let us assume Garrison and Weaver stay together, that leaves Kulikov, Campbell, Jovo, Gudby, and Ellerby.

Hypotheticals are just that, but let's delve into a few and see what shakes out.

While Jovo and Gudby together would be a tough-as-nails, bruising tandem, this might not be the best combination in relation to overall personnel. Too much size and not enough quickness might be an issue in that scenario.

Do not get me wrong. The fans would LOVE this combination if these two could hold their own. At 35 years old, Jovo has probably lost a step, and he is no stranger to nagging injuries over the last few years. However, if healthy they could be a solid third pairing going against checking lines. There will be no shortage of these two roughing up the opposition, so if they were a match it would behoove Dineen to keep them away from as much of the opposition's speed as possible.

This is not an indictment on Gudbranson in any way. He has all the tools, including speed, to be a top-flight, #1 pairing defenseman in the near future. As a rookie it would be beneficial to become a sponge and learn all he can from Jovo, who certainly plays a style similar to what Gudby will bring to the table.

We now have Garrison-Weaver, Jovanovski-Gudbranson. That would leave Campbell-Kulikov as the #1/#2 pair, with Ellerby on the outside. For the same reason I think Jovo/Gudby might not be a good fit because it's too much of the same thing, I have the same reservations about this pairing. Campbell and Kulikov are both smallish, offensive-minded defensemen that don't bring a whole lot of grit to the table. While responsible, they could get pushed around by bigger forwards, which would be an unnecessary liability.

A philosophy of balance is needed for each line, blending scoring and toughness. If that was the decision of the coaching staff, then the defensive pairings could look like this:

Campbell-Jovanovski
Kulikov-Ellerby
Gudbranson-Garrison

Yes, Mike Weaver would be out in this scenario, but definitely the guy in the wings waiting to help. If he had more offensive capabilities, Ellerby might be the one in the press box instead. While a partner change for Garrison might hurt in the short term, he and Gudbranson would be a wonderfully tough third pairing with mutually offensive capabilities.

If healthy, Jovo can still put up top-4 minutes, and he and Campbell can lead by example. There are some tough decisions to be made with these pairings, especially in how it may accelerate the development of the younger players. Kulikov, Ellerby, Gudbranson, and hopefully Garrison will be part of the defensive mix for many years to come. Add promising prospect Alex Petrovic to that group and the back end is very bright for the Cats.

It is very likely I am nuts. Maybe they will just stick the kid and the old man together and let them start mauling the opposition together in some eerie time warp.

Dan Spiegel...
Florida Panthers Writer
Twitter @DanSpiegel

Join the Discussion: » Comments » Post New Comment

» Goodbye To Hockeybuzz

» Aleksander Barkov Finally Gets His Due

» Marchessault Stings

» Are The Panthers A Tease?

» The Legacy Jagr Left Behind...